It has already been two weeks since the fun-filled OMM LITE/BIKE 2023. For this year's OMM BIKE, I was personally struck by seeing multiple SKLAR Super Something owners at the venue. So, for this post, I’d like to introduce one of the bikes I was able to photograph there.
As featured in our with BICYCLE section, this build is fresh off the stand, assembled by Kotaro, a part-time staff member at Tempra Cycle. He chose the Honey Dijon color, which really stood out at the venue and looks great against the backdrop of the forest.
The most notable feature is the swap from the stock steel fork to an ENVE Adventure Fork. It’s an assembly that clearly communicates a desire to enjoy not just gravel, but long rides and speed-focused riding as well. It’s a nice build that really highlights the versatility of the Super Something.
The main groupset is SHIMANO GRX Limited. Personally, I think his choice of silver CHRIS KING hubs to match is a very sophisticated touch. With a carbon fork, it’s easy to end up with a very sleek, black-heavy build, but the inclusion of silver here and there provides a nice, balanced sense of lightness.
| Frame | SKLAR BIKES Super Something / Honey Dijon / Size : 56cm |
| Fork | ENVE Adventure Fork |
| Headset | CHRIS KING NoThreadSet Tapered 1.5″ |
| Handle | ENVE Gravel Handlebar |
| Stem | THOMSON X4 Stem |
| Seatpost | THOMSON Elite Seatpost |
| Saddle | SELLE ITALIA Flite 1990 |
| Main Group | SHIMANO GRX Limited |
| Hub | CHRIS KING R45D Centerlock Silver |
| Rim | STAN’S NOTUBES ZTR Grail MK3 |
| Tire | RENE HERSE Snoqualmie Pass 700x44c |
| Handlebar Bag | OUTER SHELL ADVENTURE Drawcord Handlebar Bag |
| Bottle Cage | SIMWORKS John Cage |
While the frame has inherent expandability, allowing for racks or fenders to be attached according to your needs with the stock steel fork, swapping in a carbon fork to relentlessly pursue pure ride quality makes this a textbook example of a subtractive approach to building.
Oh, and as I mentioned at the beginning, there were others riding the Super Something, so I’d like to introduce them as well!
Here is @kaeriiiiiii, who competed with the team from TAS CYCLE in Ibaraki—it looked like they were having a blast as a group. Their build features voluminous 650Bx2.1″ tires and titanium parts throughout. It’s also pretty awesome that they’re using an original RAL Loader!
And here is @miikuro, who also competed with the TAS team.
This bike was built using BRUCE GORDON Rock’n Road 650Bx48mm tires and skillfully repurposed MTB parts. Look closely—it’s a singlespeed! Apparently, this is their go-to setup for not just OMM BIKE but for everyday rides as well; they even climb Mount Tsukuba with it. Another impressively clean, no-nonsense build!
Adam created the Super Something based on the knowledge he gained from crafting custom handmade bikes for "specific individuals," wanting to create a bike for "everyone." It’s like a versatile "platform" that can meet any need.
It’s a frame that truly earns its keep as a bike that can grow and change according to the rider's style, and we saw many people at events like OMM BIKE making great use of that platform to have fun. I think the diversity we saw here is unique to Japan, and after all, Adam created the Super Something looking forward to seeing that very diversity!
Our photo archive of bikes built at Circles is now available.
Use it to spark some inspiration for your own custom build.
